New Delhi, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi government has issued a show-cause notice to the management of a private school in Janakpuri following shocking safety violations, illegal branch operations and massive financial irregularities, an official said on Sunday.
Education Minister Ashish Sood has directed the Directorate of Education to take the strongest possible action against the school's managing trust and its leadership, said the official in a statement.
The school has been given 7 (Seven) days to file its reply, failing which the proposed severe actions will be initiated immediately.
Sood said that the Delhi government has absolute zero tolerance for any compromise on the safety and dignity of our children.
A school stands in 'loco parentis' — it is legally and morally responsible for every child on its premises. If an institution covers up a heinous crime like child abuse, operates illegal branches in residential basements, and loots public funds, we will not sit quietly, he said.
“We are prepared to completely take over the management and recommend the cancellation of their land lease,” he said.
A multi-phase official inquiry conducted by specialised DoE committees exposed a complete breakdown of administrative, financial, and moral responsibility at the school:
The inquiry hinted at an attempt to cover up sexual molestation, as on April 30, a nursery-class girl child was allegedly sexually molested within the school's pre-primary wing, said the statement.
The school management deliberately failed to report this heinous incident to the Directorate of Education, violating mandatory child protection laws, it said.
The inquiry also detected lapses in surveillance. When the police visited the pre-primary branch to investigate the crime, all 64 CCTV cameras installed on the premises were found to be completely non-functional. The school had intentionally operated without a maintenance contract, said the statement.
The school has been illegally operating its Nursery and KG classes from a private residential building in Narang Colony without authorisation, the inquiry report said.
Furthermore, the basement of this unauthorised building was being used as an unsupervised activity area for minor children, it said.
Additionally, the school had no Child Protection Policy, no Child Protection Committee, and no POCSO-trained Nodal Officer. Essential security staff, including guards, had not undergone mandatory police background verification, the statement said.
Source: IANS
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